Iran Rules Out Response to Offer This Week

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, right, shakes hands with Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani at the European Council headquarters prior to a bilateral meeting in Brussels, Tuesday July 11, 2006. Top Iranian and EU negotiators meet for an informal discussion of Tehran's response to the international incentives package designed to defuse the standoff with the West over its nuclear program. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) (Geert Vanden Wijngaert - AP)

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Iran ruled out responding this week to international incentives to suspend its nuclear program, saying Tuesday that the offer contains too many "ambiguities."

Ali Larijani, Tehran's top nuclear negotiator, said after meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana that the "ambiguities must be removed first in order to have serious talks."

His comments dashed any hope that that Iran would meet a Wednesday deadline on a six-nation offer of incentives aimed at dissuading Tehran from uranium enrichment.

Foreign ministers from the six powers that crafted the proposal _ the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany _ are to meet Wednesday in Paris. The six are pushing for an agreement before the July 15-17 Group of Eight summit in Russia.

Solana's spokeswoman said he was disappointed with the talks and "not satisfied" with the lack of progress.

"We continue to be committed to a negotiated solution," Cristina Gallach said, adding that the EU and others "wanted a reply, the sooner the better."

An EU official said Iran had not asked specific questions addressing what Tehran has called concerns about ambiguities.

The official said that Solana did not give Tehran a deadline to make up its mind on the incentives package but indicated that the EU was growing impatient.

"It's now the fifth week after the offer was presented," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.

Iran repeatedly has said it will not respond to the offer before August and Larijani warned that talks on his country's atomic program will be a "long process."

The Iranian negotiator refused to elaborate on the nature of the perceived ambiguities, but he called on the European Union, United States, Russia and others to be patient.

"I see no reason for being skeptical. We must allow more time for negotiations to work," Larijani told reporters after meeting with Solana. "All matters must be discussed and all concerns must be addressed."